Chapter-10
Rashi was sitting in the lawn and gazing at the stars.The day was certainly eventful.She knew that life was not that simple but still she could not understand.She closed her eyes and thought of the beautiful emerald eyes.Strangely,they did not appear.Why?Whenever she thought of the emerald eyes,they appeared in front of her.Then why not now?Sadly,she opened her eyes and found them in front of her.Those very eyes.Emerald green.They were his eyes.Arihant's eyes.He was staring at her intently.And when she looked into his eyes,she felt lighter.As if she had seen the emerald eyes of her thoughts.
Ari,it's you.',said Rashi.
Yes,it's me.Arihant Saxena.Your very own personal counselor and tour guide.',said Arihant with a grin.Rashi shook her head.
Can't you ever be serious,Ari?',asked Rashi.
Serious?Ma'm,agar main serious hogaya toh iss duniya keliye bohot serious problem khadi hojayegi.Phir mat kehna ki maine warn nahin kiya tha.',,said Arihant.
Haan!! Tumne toh poori duniya ki problems solve karne ka theka le rakha hai.',said Rashi.
Nah!! You are the only one jiski problems maine recently solve ki hai.Yahaan pe kahin tumhe duniyawaale nazar aa rahe hain kya?In other words,abhi keliye toh,duniya bhi tum ho,galaxy bhi tum ho,universe bhi tum ho,Mohatarma.',said Arihant.Rashi stared at him.
What did you say just now?',asked Rashi.
God,did I just say that?',Arihant thought to himself.He was as surprised as she was.
Ari,I asked you something.',said Rashi.
I think it sounded really cheesy,didn't it Mohatarma?',said Arihant laughing uncertainly.
Oh!! Yes,it was certainly a bit cheesy.Something completely unlike you.',said Rashi sounding uncertain too.
So,why are you sitting here all alone?Let me guess.Thinking about Nikhil and Falguni,right?',asked Arihant.
Kamal ke insaan ho tum,Ari.Sawaal bhi aisa pooch te ho jiska jawaab pehle se malum hota hai tumhe.',said Rashi smiling.
Kaash mujhe saare sawaalon ka jawab malum hota,Mohatarma.Then,maybe,life would not have been so complicated.',said Arihant.
Maybe,some answers are left for us to find out.',said Rashi.Arihant nodded.
Okay,so I think that I should go to bed now.',said Rashi.
Good night,Mohatarma and don't think too much about Nikhil and Falguni.It's their matter.Let them solve it.',said Arihant.
Rashi began to walk away.When Arihant saw her walking away,he felt a strange feeling.He did not understand why but he could not see her walking away.Walking away from him.
Don't go away from me!!!',he uttered.Rashi was startled.
What happened,Ari?',asked Rashi.
Nothing,nothing!! Good night!!',said Arihant.He seemed to be shocked.
Good night,Ari.',said Rashi and she went away.
When Rashi was back in her room,she could not help but think about him.Then,she realized that nowadays she thought about nothing but him.At first,she used to get irritated with him.Later,she became his friend.He was funny and a philosopher at the same time.Gradually,she began to like him.He always had an answer to every question of hers.He was filled with positivity.She liked to be around him.And,then his eyes.They were very much like the emerald eyes of her dreams.Very much like?No!Then,she realized that his eyes were completely identical to those emerald eyes.
How strange!! Ari's eyes.The eyes which I see in my dreams.They are so alike.Or maybe...God!!! Is it possible that the eyes which I have been seeing till now are actually his eyes?Ari's eyes??',she thought to herself.
She became restless.She could not understand what was going on.What was it?Her fondness for him?Or was she attracted to him?
Are you a fool,Rashi Agarwal???? You hardly know this guy.',she scolded herself mentally.
But then why?Why did she feel a sense of familiarity when he is with her?Whenever he was with her,she got a feeling that she could trust him with her life.However,she also felt as if he had broken her trust which was very strange.Why?His image was imprinted in her mind since the day she saw him for the first time.It felt that as if he were a magnet and she a piece of iron.She could not understand it.That attraction.That pull.The intensity which she saw in his eyes.They seemed so surreal and yet so familiar.Ari was her friend and she liked him.But was like' the term that she could use to describe her feelings for Ari.
Ari,Ari,Ari.God,why can't I think of anything else but him?Why?',she thought to herself.
Earlier,she could have dismissed it as a mere infatuation.Of course,she had a few crushes.A rockstar,a cricketer and her school head boy.But those were nothing but the childish games of her teenage mind.She had a crush on a couple of characters too.She liked Heathcliff from the Wuthering Heights and,though she had not told this to anyone,Altunia.However,Ari was different.She did not know what pulled her to himShe did not even know why she wanted to be around him so much.Or why did she feel that she could trust him with her life and soul?These feelings were certainly not childish.But then,what were they?
What is going on?What is happening?Could it actually be?Me and Ari??',she wondered.
At last,she decided not to think anymore and fell asleep.This time,she did not visualize the green eyes only.But a face that carried them like a crown carries its jewels.His face.
He was lying down in the lawn.Sometimes,he even went off to sleep there because he loved it.But at that moment,sleep was avoiding him.
Too bad!!! Love me or hate me.You can't ignore or avoid me.',he thought to himself with a smirk.
It was really not the time to act smart.He knew that.The entire day,he was with others.Talking to them and solving their problems.Now when he was alone,he decided to devote his time to thinking about his problems.Problems?Were there actually any problems in his life?No,there weren't any.Whenever any problem came in his life,he simply shoved it out of the way.He knew how to deal with his problems as well as he knew dealing with others'.But then there was this problem.This specific problem which persisted.He simply could not find a solution for it.This problem was the most complicated problem he had ever encountered.And it even had a name.Rashi Agarwal.That name brought a smile to his lips and he did not even understand why.When he found himself smiling,his thoughts drifted back to the memories of that enchanting smile which always remained an enigma for him.That smile had never allowed him to falter.That smile had always motivated him to follow his will.That smile had no face.But it provided him strength.Like his very own guardian angel.But now,even it was not helping him.
Why?? Why is this happening?Why am I thinking about Rashi?',he thought to himself.
He had a trip down the memory lane.He had lived his life according to his terms and conditions.He had never allowed anyone to control his life.Anyone.Not even his own parents.There are two kinds of people.One who go with the flow.And one who go against the flow.He belonged to the second category.As stubborn as he was,he knew and understood the difference between what was right and what was wrong very clearly.He had seen the world and had a knowledge of human beings.He knew that there can be no person on this earth who is completely bad or completely good.There is good and bad in every individual.There were some bad qualities in him too.But then,that was not the matter.He was back to square one.Rashi.
There is something about her.Something which is attracting me to her.',he thought to himself.
This felt bizarre.He had never been attracted to any girl till now.He knew a lot about the nature of girls.So,he was never charmed by a girl's beauty.He admired their qualities though.He was not an MCP.He admired and respected women.But he had never considered any woman he had met till now as his romantic interest.
Then I met her.Rashi.The feistiest girl ever.',he thought with a smile.
When he had met her for the first time,all he saw in front of him was a very angry young lady.Well,she had a right to be angry.The second time when he met her,she appeared lost.They kept on meeting but she never left his thoughts.She seemed so real.So genuine.She was like a typical spoilt brat but with a heart.She was innocent and childlike and yet so mature.
But then,what do I feel for her?For Rashi?',he thought.
He shuddered.He knew about love.Had his own notions about love.But he had never experienced it before.Secretly,he prayed that he never experiences it.For he knew that once he falls in love,there would be no way back.
Really?? Rashi and me?? What a crazy idea!!',he thought.
He sighed.He could fool anyone apart from himself.He admitted that he was drawn to Rashi.But he could not term it as love yet.These feelings could be anything.A really strong attraction.A feeling of attachment.Anything.He had to be sure first.
God,what is happening?I am unsure about something?? Arihant Saxena and unsure???' Kaise kaise din dekhne pad rahein hain???',he thought.
At last,he closed his to visualize the smile before he slept.The smile was intact.But this time,it was not just the smile.That entity was not faceless anymore.She had a face on which the smile shone like anything.It was her face.
Rashi Agarwal, the thing which I love the most in this world is unpredictability.And guess what,you are the most unpredictable thing that ever happened to me.',he thought before drowning himself in the ocean of light that radiated from the smile.From her smile.
Sydney,Australia
Yash,beta.Did your meeting go well?',asked Mrs Bharadwaj.
Yes,Mom.It was fine.How are you feeling now?Did you take your medicines on time?',asked Yash.
Of course,my child.You always take care of me so much.You take care of everyone.And I am sure that you will take care of Rashi as well.',said Mrs Bharadwaj.
Maa,I haven't even met Rashi.',said Yash getting embarrassed.
But you will meet her soon.And I am sure that you will like her a lot.I have met her.And she is such a lovely girl.Strong,smart,humble and caring.Anyone will like her.And you will love her.',said Mrs Bharadwaj.Yash smiled at her.
Maa,if you feel like that then it will definitely happen.',said Yash.
Yash left for his room.His mother looked at him sadly.She knew her son.Her son was a good boy.He had never wished ill for anyone.Even when he was sad,he was careful not to show it.He always took care of everyone's happiness and sometimes sacrificed his own in the process.She remembered that he always wished to become a painter.But respecting his father's wishes,he had given up his dream.He had never broken their trust.He deserved happiness in life.
Maybe,Rashi will get him out of his shell and make his life better.I pray to God that it happens like that only.',she thought.
Yash entered his room and freshened up.He picked up a magazine to read but lost interest soon.Then,he glanced over at the envelope lying across the table.He had not opened it till now.He picked it up and took out the photographs.She was like a goddess.Divine.Ethereal.Her face bore a vibrant smile.
But who know what she is like?',he thought.
She must be a good person and that is why his parents were insisting for him to meet her.Especially his mother.She had never insisted so much.He knew that his mother was a good judge of character.He would have got married to anyone his parents suggested.They knew the best.But then,his mother told him that he would love Rashi.
Is it possible that I can actually fall in love with someone?',he thought.
The idea of love fascinated him.He knew that if he married someone then he would be faithful to that person forever.He would give his best to the relationship.But he wished to know how does it feel to fall in love with someone.To care for someone.And to be loved back.He hesitantly looked at Rashi's photograph again.
Could she possibly love me back ?Love me for who I am?',he wondered.
Author's note:Hi,my dear friends.Here is the chapter.I am really sorry for being late in updating.I promise that it won't happen again.And I apologise for any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
Cricket
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